Wolfman
by Twi Revenge of the Nerds
Summary: Seth Clearwater, Quileute warrior and wolfman, is finding it difficult to hide his strength and confidence when he has to attend an all-human high school for a semester.


**Seth Clearwater, Quileute warrior and wolfman, is finding it difficult to hide his strength and confidence when he has to attend an all-human high school for a semester.**

 **Pairing: Seth and OC**

 **Rating: M for language**

 **Word Count: 3023**

 **DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Wolfman

"You don't have a choice, honey. If you're going to graduate you have to take a semester at Forks High. The rez school just can't provide the labs you need."

Seth Clearwater sighed and ran his fingers through his wavy black hair. "It's just so frustrating, Mom. Every kid I've met from that school has looked at me like I'm some kind of savage...or an oversized hopeless nerd." He slammed the cover on the thick chemistry book and shoved it in his backpack. "I just don't belong there."

Sue dried her hands, hung her dishtowel on a hook, and took a seat next to him at the maple table in their big kitchen. "Look, Seth, you've been a Quileute for all of your seventeen years." She placed a cool, slender hand on his larger, warm one. "There's nothing anyone can do to change that. And you shouldn't want to; you should be proud of who you are."

He sighed. "I am, Mom. It's not that. It's just - I have to be so careful. I can't get angry. I can't win at sports. I have to avoid letting anyone touch me. I have to wear these stupid tinted glasses to hide the lupine yellow gleam in my eyes. And I can hear every snide comment with my super ears, but I'm not allowed to react. It just sucks!"

Walking in with an empty soda can, Leah overheard the end of their conversation. "I wish we could afford to send you to a private high school for senior year, Seth," she said. "I was lucky. I didn't take college prep courses, so I didn't have to go there. But hopefully you won't be slinging burgers for a living when you're my age." She grinned and rinsed out the Coke can, then slam dunked it into the recycling bin with a theatrical flourish.

Seth laughed in spite of himself. "Two points for Crazylegs Clearwater!"

FHS turned out to be just what Seth had expected. He was the only transfer student from the rez this semester, and he literally stuck out like a sore thumb, a head taller than most of the other seniors. "How's the weather up there?" joked a petite blonde. Her smile was kind, though, so he dutifully held out an arm at shoulder height and she breezed under it. He heard her chuckle as she continued down the hall to her own locker.

"AIIEEE!" Seth supposed it was supposed to represent a war whoop, and it came from a boy he recognized from his Physics class. The kid, whom everyone called Moose, was tall and solid but still a few inches shy of Seth's six foot six. Drum beats followed Seth all day on anything handy - lockers, tables, books. He tried his best to ignore them.

Taking his seat in the back of Physics class at the end of the first week, Seth placed his backpack on the floor. He jumped when he felt a gentle touch on his arm, and the tiny blonde drew back her hand quickly, as if she'd been burned. "Sorry. I'm just...sorry," she muttered, hurrying to her seat before he had a chance to respond. After class, he hurried out the door in case she intended to confront him. _No fraternizing_ , he reminded himself.

"Great!" Seth mumbled under his breath. Someone had dropped a note in his locker through the vent hole at the top. It was lined notebook paper, neatly folded. He shoved it in his pocket without reading it, slammed the locker, and turned toward the door - and freedom. It was raining again. Perfect. He figured his Frankenbike didn't attract enough attention on a sunny day. Jake had helped him build it from spare parts, since his commute to school was now several miles and Forks couldn't justify sending a bus all the way to the rez for just one student.

"Hey, Tonto!" Moose was leaning against the building with an unpleasant smirk on his face. "Looks like you ran over a nail." His front tire was flat, and the reason was obvious. The handle of a screwdriver protruded from the tire in plain sight.

Seth closed his eyes and breathed slowly. He clenched his fists to calm the trembling hands. Moose nudged his companion, a freckle faced kid named Stan. "Uh oh, Stan the Man. I think the redskin is gonna cry."

Ignoring them, Seth fished a cell phone from his backpack and punched in a familiar number. After a pause, he spoke into the phone. "Edward? It's me. I hate to bother you, but can you pick me up at the high school? Maybe you should bring Emmett's truck. Yeah, I have a flat tire. Thanks."

It was only a matter of minutes before the Jeep Rubicon slewed into the parking lot, splashing rainwater from under its oversized tires. The smile on Moose's face faded as a very pale young man jumped out and gazed at the bike. He flashed a glance in Moose's direction and Moose nodded to Stan. The two sauntered back toward the building, glancing over their shoulders as Edward picked up the bike in one hand and tossed it in the back of the Jeep. Both Edward and Seth heard Moose's stage whisper, "Who the fuck is that?" Their pace quickened as Seth climbed in the passenger side.

"Tough day?" The speedometer on the Jeep crept up toward 80 on the wet road and Seth buckled his seatbelt.

"Tough week," Seth replied. He sighed deeply. "They all think I'm a big ole nerd because I'm not allowed to defend myself. I might hurt somebody." His fist connected with the dashboard, leaving a sizeable dent. "Shit. Sorry."

Edward smiled. "Emmett will never notice that, believe me. He doesn't exactly treat this thing with kid gloves." He looked around the inside of the vehicle, which was dented and pitted as well as filthy. "I'm pretty sure we have a spare tire somewhere." Tires squealed on the pavement as he took the turn into the Cullens' driveway on two wheels.

Emmett was waiting outside the multi-car garage, his dark T-shirt soaked and plastered to his massive body. He lifted the bike out and whistled. "Looks like you're making friends already at the new school, buddy." His tone was light, but he wasn't smiling. "You want old Uncle Emmett to teach somebody a lesson?"

Seth laughed. "Nah, it's nothing I can't handle. I've just never been involved with racist assholes before." He wheeled the bike into the brightly lit garage, shaking his head and flinging droplets onto the pristine floor.

The big vampire cracked his knuckles. "Racist assholes are a specialty of mine."

Edward glanced up at his brother. "You think you can fit that big head of yours through the tool room door long enough to dig up a lug wrench, Killer?" Emmett chuckled and lobbed the wrench at Edward's head.

"Thanks," Edward smirked, catching the heavy wrench with one hand while he flipped the bike over with the other. "This tire is toast, my friend," he said to Seth as he spun the wrench.

"Found a spare," Emmett said, pointing to a tire leaning against the wall. It appeared to be brand new.

"Do you guys have bikes?" Seth asked. He had never seen any sign of them.

Emmett grinned. "You wouldn't believe the stuff we have lying around here. Now how about a ride to school on Monday?"

Seth groaned. "I appreciate the thought, but everybody thinks I'm a big pussy. That's all I need - to show up with a babysitter."

Edward laughed. "I see your point. Just be sure to keep us on quick-dial if you do need a hand, okay?"

"Thanks, guys. I suspect Moose will leave me alone, at least for a couple of days. He's a bully, and they tend not to be so brave." He chuckled. "He saw you toss that bike into the truck like it was a feather pillow. It should keep him off my back for a couple days at least. And I'll just park around the corner." Seth waved as he made his way carefully down the winding drive in the steady rain.

Peeling off his wet clothes, Seth remembered the note in his pocket. With a sigh, he unfolded the damp paper. The writing was feminine, and he glanced at the signature. Christie. He wondered if it might be the little blonde he kept running into.

 _Hi, Seth - Welcome to Forks High! I hope you'll notice that not all of us are jerks. My dad says the land this school is on was stolen from your tribe. I'm sorry. That sucks. Anyway, if you ever need a friend just holler. Christie._

Seth pulled on a clean pair of jeans and picked up a shirt from his bedroom floor. After sniffing an armpit and deciding it was clean enough, he pulled it on. Crumpling the note, he tossed it on the desk. He had no illusions about making friends at the paleface school. He just wanted the semester to be over. Seth wondered, briefly, if this was his introduction to the real world. He guessed he'd find out when he got to college, where he hoped there would be enough diversity so even an oversized Native American could blend in. His mom interrupted his reverie, tapping on his open door.

"Hi, Honey. You're a little late. Any problems?" She frowned, gingerly picking up his wet clothes.

"Nah, just a flat tire. I called Edward and he and Emmett fixed it for me." He sniffed. Time to change the subject. "Is that lasagne? I'm starving!"

"Yes it is, and it's just about ready. I'll toss these in the washer while you set the table. It's just the three of us tonight."

Seth laughed, giving Sue a peck on the cheek. "Not if Quil is within sniffing distance," he said with a grin.

Monday came again, way too soon. Seth parked his bike a couple of blocks from the school, figuring it wouldn't be too difficult to outsmart Moose. The trouble started at lunch time, in the cafeteria.

"Christy! What the hell are you doing?!" Moose hissed when she smiled and nodded at Seth, heading toward the table he occupied alone. Stan and a couple of other guys smirked, watching to see what would happen next. Moose slapped a hand against the table rhythmically, "SMACK smack smack smack SMACK smack smack smack..."

"Mind your own business, Moose!" Christy snapped, setting her tray on the table. She looked at Seth. "May I?"

Seth shrugged. "Free country," he said softly as he stood and grabbed his lunch tray with trembling hands. He dumped it in the trash and left the cafeteria. He figured there was no sense risking her reputation for a misfit who would be gone in ten weeks or so. He hoped she'd take a hint, but she was waiting at his locker after school.

"Seth, can I talk to you? I'm not a stalker, honest." Her blue eyes were earnest.

He glanced around. No sign of Moose or any of his minions. Then he remembered - football tryouts were being held after school. Seth would have loved to be on the team if it were HIS school, but here his wolf strength would be a danger to mere humans - as well as way too obvious. He sighed.

"It's not a good idea," he said as he slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed for the door. "You don't give up easily, do you?" His dark eyes blazed when she followed him out of the building and hurried to match his long strides.

"Nope. Just waiting for a chance to ask why you dislike me. You don't even know me." She was panting slightly by the time they reached his bike. He turned and stared down at her. Those fervent blue eyes were swimming with tears, but he couldn't afford to take pity on her, for her own sake.

He sighed as he swung a long leg over and straddled the bike. "Look, Christy. I obviously don't belong here. And you don't need to ruin your reputation by feeling sorry for me. You're right - I don't know you. I think it's safer for you to just leave it that way." Not waiting for a reply, he started the bike and roared down the street, leaving her standing alone on the sidewalk.

Later that evening, he was at his desk working on homework. "How's it going, Bro?" Leah leaned on Seth's bedroom door frame.

He put his pencil down and turned around. "Peachy. Now I have a stalker."

Leah frowned. "A girl? C'mon, Seth, you're not seriously messing around with a Forks kid?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Leah? You sound like one of those bigots I go to school with."

Closing her eyes, Leah shook her head. "You know I don't mean it that way. You're just setting yourself up…"

"No!" He interrupted her. "I'm not. This girl, she just follows me around. She seems sincere, but I know it's not a good idea to befriend her. Besides, it's ticking off her classmates so I'm trying to discourage her. Not as easy as it sounds. She's pretty obstinate for such a tiny thing." He opened a desk drawer and handed Leah the note.

She read it quickly. "So? She sounds like one of those Quileute groupies," she said handing it back to him.

"It doesn't really matter what she is," he said. "I'm not encouraging her. And gym class is the worst. Can you imagine trying to act normal? I mean, it doesn't matter here on the rez. There are so many of us in the same boat, ya know?" He sighed deeply. "I have to bumble around, careful not to hurt anybody, not to score too many points. We had to choose teams yesterday and I was the last one picked. Nobody wants the nerd on their team."

"I'm sorry, Seth. I know this can't be easy. No more problems with the bike?"

He grimaced and shook his head. "I just park it a couple blocks away from the school. That Moose couldn't find his ass with both hands."

The next morning, Seth couldn't believe Christy was waiting for him by his locker. "Look, Christy, I meant what I said. You have to leave me alone."

Looking up into his face, she asked "Are you sure that's what you want? I'm not looking to drag you to the altar. I just want to be your friend."

"I don't need any friends," he said curtly as he spun the combination lock. She suddenly fell against him, and he caught her to the sound of Moose's laughter.

"Ooops." He whispered something to his companions as they swaggered down the hall, laughing as they turned back to look at Seth.

"Okay. You win." Picking up her pack that had fallen to the floor, she turned and walked away.

Seth was wrong about one thing. Moose did find the bike. He was standing on the sidewalk grinning after school.

"Get out of my way, Moose. I'm not looking for any trouble." A slight tremor in his clenched hands could be attributed to an angry wolf hoping to be freed - or to fear. It depended on your point of view. Before the situation had a chance to escalate, a burly figure stepped out from the shadows into the pale sunlight. The sun's weak rays sparkled on his skin.

Seth frowned. "What are you doing here?"

Emmett's grin was not reassuring, revealing long, sharp incisors. "Looking for a snack," he growled, glancing from one teenager to the other with scarlet eyes. Seth noticed, with some satisfaction, a dark stain spreading down the front of Moose's grimy jeans when Emmett's gaze settled on him.

"Not today, pal," Seth sneered. Moose's eyes widened as Seth stepped in front of him. "Maybe you should pick on somebody your own size."

Snarling ferociously, Emmett charged at Seth, who fell back against Moose knocking him to the ground. "Go!" he hissed as he raised his fists and delivered a right hook to the vampire's ribs, followed by a satisfying _'Crack_!' "Now!" Moose scrambled to his feet and ran, not looking back.

"Damn, Seth! I think you busted a rib!"

Seth offered a hand and helped his friend to his feet. "Well, I figured you wanted it to look realistic - and I have to admit it felt good to actually punch someone! Thanks, man. You know, you could have told me what you were planning."

"Actually, I was just keeping an eye on your bike," Emmett replied with a chuckle, rubbing his chest. "The rest just sort of happened. You think he'll be bothering you again?"

"He'll probably faint when he sees me walk in tomorrow," Seth laughed.

"Well, I suspect Edward got a shot of him pissing himself in case he needs a bit of persuasion."

Edward stepped out from behind a parked silver Volvo and held up his phone. "Sure did." Seth's phone pinged as the photo was delivered to his inbox. "I guess our work here is done."

When Seth strolled into homeroom the following morning, he was not disappointed. Moose's eyes went wide as Seth took his seat directly in front of Moose. He casually slipped out his phone to turn it off per school rules, exposing the cover photo that Edward had sent him. He was fairly certain no words were necessary when he heard the sharp intake of breath from behind him.

"Christy? I won't blame you if you say no, but can we talk?" Seth's lanky figure leaned against the wall next to her locker.

"Really?" Her blue eyes narrowed. "Why the change of heart?"

"If you give me a chance to explain, I will. For now, I'm really sorry. I'm actually not a jerk, but I know I've been acting like one." He could see her expression softening.

"Well, okay, we'll see how it goes. If you can convince me of that, we'll take it from there." Her smile was pure sunshine.


End file.
